Swedish state TV interviewed terror leader amid row with Turkiye

By Atila Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) - Despite Turkiye’s repeated calls for Sweden to decisively cut off its links with terror groups, Stockholm continues abetting PKK/YPG terrorists, as the country's state-run broadcaster recently posted an interview with a terrorist ringleader.

As Turkiye's objection to Sweden's NATO bid continues, in an interview with Swedish public broadcaster SVT, Salih Muslim, a ringleader of the terrorist PKK/YPG, said that his group trusts Sweden.

He also claimed that the Nordic country would never accept the YPG as a terrorist group for the sake of NATO membership, and would not respond positively to Turkiye's demands for NATO membership.

He avoided responding to a question on whether the YPG is affiliated with the PKK or not, an affiliation that Turkiye has well documented.

In the footage shown by SVT during the interview, photos of PKK terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan could be seen hanging in many places.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO last week – a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.

But Turkiye, a longstanding member of the alliance, has voiced objections to the membership bids, criticizing the countries for tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups.

On Wednesday Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson said: "We do not send money to the terrorist organization of course nor weapons."

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people.